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By Hanne
The word yoga is probably familiar to many, but what is yoga? In this post, I will tell a little about what lies behind yoga. I will tell you about different areas of yoga and what there is beyond the physical poses. So, let’s get to it, what is yoga?
What is yoga?
Yoga’s roots are in ancient India, where it is considered as old as human civilization. Yoga is about conscious breathing, movement, and pausing. The answer to the question of what is yoga is not that simple, though. One might think of yoga as meditation, other as asana practice, or something completely different. I’d say yoga today is mainly about asanas, pranayamas, and meditation. And now, if you are thinking about what on earth I am talking about, I will give you a short explanation for these terms.
Asana: commonly used term for a yoga pose, yoga poses form the physical yoga practice.
Pranayama: Life force energy or conscious direction of the prana means breath control and prolonged breath. When the breath is voluntarily directed, we can relax the body and mind, which can open blockages, and energy can flow more freely.
Meditation: above all, meditation is quieting the mind from thoughts, which can be achieved by focusing on the current moment with some action or method. Meditation combines strict concentration into relaxation.
Yoga has become very popular
In the past few years, yoga has become very popular, and I’d say it has become more about the physical practice. Many people come into the world of yoga to increase mobility or maybe to become more flexible. And whatever the reason, I believe yoga is good for everyone. And now that I have said this, I have to add that I still hope that more than this physical side can be found from yoga because yoga is so much more.
So what on earth I am talking about? Maybe I tell a little bit about my background, and perhaps it helps you understand how deep yoga actually is.
You might also like this: What is yin yoga?
Yoga is more than just a physical practice
When I stepped into an Ashtanga yoga class for the first time over ten years ago, I didn’t know what yoga was. I had heard that Ashtanga is the most demanded form of yoga, and that suited me perfectly. Back in those days, I ran marathons, and practice on my physical limits was my thing, and it kept me going. I practiced Ashtanga then nearly two years, but the yoga world didn’t open to me more deeply during that time.
About four years ago, I again stepped into an Ashtanga yoga class. By that time, I had already said my goodbyes to marathons, and I was at a turning point with my “sporty self.” This time yoga really hit me hard. Still, yoga’s spiritual side wasn’t why I found myself in a yoga class numerous times a week. The first thing that I noticed was how my body wasn’t aching anymore, and my body felt really light in a way. It was a kind of significant thing for a person who works on a computer the whole day long. Next, I noticed how relaxed I was because of yoga. The practice could take me so deep within me, into the union between my breath and movement, that I didn’t think anything else. And this was a big thing for me.
The next big thing that yoga taught me was how to be gentle to myself. It is still an ongoing process, but I’d say I have come a long way from the world of eating disorders and severe self-image problems. For me, yoga has taught me an appreciation for everything. Every time I’m on my yoga mat, I truly appreciate the special moment and unique feelings of my body and the uniqueness of each breath I took during my practice. So, as said before, everything really. And every time I’m on my yoga mat, I fall in love with yoga all over again and more deeply. Yoga and passion for yoga nowadays are even more than what is mentioned above, but I can’t cover all that in one single writing, so I decided to share only these two things with you today.
How about you? Have you practiced yoga, and how it has changed your life? Or has it? 
Yoga is not about self-improvement. It’s about self-acceptance.
– Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
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Hanne Nousiainen
Yoga teacher • Personal Trainer
Hanne Nousiainen
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